


Two Haircuts

by Ibupr0fe3



Category: Transformers: Prime
Genre: Aliens, Biochemistry, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/M, Hate to Love, Heavy Angst, Not Canon Compliant, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-04
Updated: 2020-10-16
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:07:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,367
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26814130
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ibupr0fe3/pseuds/Ibupr0fe3
Summary: A jobless and snarky knowledge-hunter, Evangeline Cox is forced from the familiarity of Reading, England and into the hot and dry abyss that is Jasper, Nevada. She is only in the city for research purposes and to see her grandmother, or at least she tells herself so. However, life dumps an unexpected funeral, return problems, and an unlikely friendship with an emergency nurse on her, followed by what may be the answer to her lifelong prayers: confidential, extra-terrestrial beings, all for her to research.
Relationships: Ratchet (Transformers)/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 2





	1. A Painter In The Desert

"The sun's being annoying... the snow's finally gone... but honestly, what is snow? This is Jasper bloody Nevada!"

I am sitting on a bench, huddled in an over-sized trench coat, like a grade A, grumbling, mindlessy-doodling-on my-hand-with-a-sharpie weirdo. The wind blows rebellious strands of hair into my eyes, every three seconds or so, no matter how many times I blow them out of my face and glare into the sky to stop doing that. Evidently, the wind currents don't give a sitting duck about the fact that I am busy. The flying locks weren't long enough to put behind my ears, and if there was one thing I hated more than poorly made tea, it was hair clips. So, I begrudgingly let them fly about.

My cold behind rocks no more than an inch either way, frequently shifting my weight in hopes to preserve more warmth, and I bury my face deeper into the coat's neck before becoming a pretty much still statue once more. My nose soon resurfaces for a crisp breath of air, something I didn't get to feel or taste often ever since I (involuntarily, mind you) migrated to Jasper. I was visiting to help my grandmother, a brilliant but sadly gone mad woman. The funeral was two weeks ago -- which surprised nobody besides a few furiously praying Catholic cat ladies -- and for two weeks I haven't had money for a ticket back. Another factor was my scientific equipment, which just barely got accepted into the United States, and had close to no chance of being let back out.

"Eva!"

My sharpie pauses mid-stroke, abandoning the nearly complete tattoo of a cute and slightly deformed crocodile. I lift my head to see June Darby, a nurse I have surprisingly grown acquainted with while trying to apply for a job, walking briskly towards me. I sometimes hung out at her place and June often came over to mine to help with scientific research, which she said "benefits her own career too". Her words are missing a 'could,' but that is another thing for another time. You know what, we are sort-of friends that have fun together, I can just leave it at that.

"June! Took you long enough. I nearly invented a new element," I remark, bouncing off of the cold bend as the we set off towards the hospital parking lot.

"You make it sound like a bad thing," June replies as we finally reach her old, cream-coloured automobile. I get in and shove the shotgun door closed a little too hard, checking for the faint click afterwards that meddles amongst the noise of the car door slamming against its frame. June doesn't like the gesture at all, and scolds me for the millionth time this month.

"I sometimes feel like I'm talking to a child!" she complains, steering off of the familiar road and onto the freeway.

"I sometimes feel like I'm being mistaken for a child..."

"Well then don't behave like one, and we won't be here for the millionth time."

The car fills with unpleasant silence as the exchange settles, letting only the muffled sound of traffic run its course between us. Minutes pass. Long, restless minutes, full of shifting and looking out the window. At some point, I lift my chin off its resting place in my hand, sliding the elbow that was propped against the base of the window down. A sigh, and the responsibility of starting a new conversation falls on me.

"So, how's Jackson doing?" I say, a measly attempt at breaking the ice by talking about her family, which, thankfully, works, putting June at greater ease.

"He's doing fine." Her answer was quick, almost like she had practiced reassuring herself in front of the mirror. "Teenagers will be teenagers, y'know? School's tough, life's a drama, and he wants more independence and responsibility than he can hold in two hands."

"Can't blame him." I shrug, understanding that feeling of wanting to have the wrong thing at the wrong time. He obviously needs the push, to make his own decisions and feel the consequences in full, but it's likely the lack of cause vs effect judgement that June is worried about.

"He got a new motorbike after begging me for a long time, and without my consent at that!"

We exchange short laughs, the car's engine purring a little more affectionately to back us up.

"How he managed that with YOU for a mum completely eludes me."

"I don't know. I just came home one day and there was a new-looking blue thing, polished and in good order. I tried to get him to explain how he got her, but never got a clear answer, and so now she lives with us."

I perk up at the peculiar wording. "She?"

It was a harmless question, really, since I've known people who named and gendered inanimate objects simply for sentimental value, but the way June tensed up after it left my mouth was the most peculiar thing.

"Did I really say that? I'm sorry Eva, long day at work and Jack's habits are rubbing off on me."

So she is avoiding saying something, using excuses and tiptoeing around a bigger secret that, to her misfortune, I now desperately want to be a part of.

"Look, June... I know we haven't known each other too long, but you've been acting really weird lately. And don't tell me that everything's alright, I am not an idiot! Tell me, what's bothering you?"

Her eyes suddenly become clouded with deep thoughts, barely focusing on the road. I place a reassuring hand on her shoulder, bringing her back to reality and reminding her to answer the question. Well, that and I also felt like surviving this drive.

"I just... I just worry, you know? At this point in his life, I worry that something bad might happen," she finally says, and though I am not too good with people and how they work, it is my duty to make sure June doesn't suffer because of me.

"Come on, he knows how to handle it, he'll be fine. It's just a motorbike, after all." I sink into the seat, not failing to notice the same expression overtaking June's focus again. I don't receive any response besides distracted silence, and that only pumps my curiosity higher. If I was doubting even for a bit that something was off about the topic, I was sure as Hell now.

"You're hiding something from me. June, you know you can trust me with anything and I won't tell a soul, dead or alive."

June silently pulls up in her driveway, stopping and turning off the car but not getting out just yet. "I know that I won't be able to shake you off until you get the information you want."

"Spill?"

"Inside."

I sigh in defeat and get out of the car, unlocking the front door with a spare key June had given me. Making myself right at home, I grab a glass to the brim with water and hand it over to June, settling beside her on the couch with my legs folded away to the side. I need to give June all the time she needs and a bit of space to breathe for this to have maximum effect.

"You see Eva... goodness, I don't know how to even begin. Jack's motorcycle... well, it's not really a normal motorcycle at all."

And she tells me. Everything. Or at least, enough to satisfy an itch I didn't even know I had, an aching spot that has finally been satisfied; which includes some truly bizarre information. She tells me about these extraterrestrial, sentient and intelligent organisms called Cybertronians, who they are, why they're here, how many, how long, when she found out. I try to sit there patiently, not asking any questions and just listen, but I really want to burst from excitement of an alien species on this planet: something we as a society have been trying to find evidence of for centuries! I would've doubted her words - her recount was that unbelievable - if only I hadn't learned that June wouldn't be able to make up this kind of stuff.

After June finishes explaining, she looks like she is ready to cry. Though I don't do hugs, I understand that June probably needs one right now, and using whatever comforting abilities I have I wrap my arms around the shaken nurse and whisper softly into her ear: "Thank you for telling me June. It's okay, everything's okay. I won't tell anyone a thing you just told me."

I pull back and stand up to stare at the opposite wall, pondering deeply about the topic. There's new research, new elements to be discovered, the sheer thought of something this scientifically grandiose made me just want to yell out in joy, but I had to keep a passive expression on, for poor June's sake. There finally was something worth my time in this horrifyingly dull city.

"I'm terribly sorry, but now I'm really intrigued about these... Cybertronians, you said?" I say, turning back around. "I'd love to research them, and you know how much it means to me June," I plead, putting a cold hand on hers.

"So could you let me find a way to communicate with them; Hell, maybe even just see them? Please?"

Begging wasn't something I usually did, but when I did, experience proved it was nearly impossible to say 'no', even for Jack's mom. After a bit of thinking, she tells me that she would try to arrange it the best she could, but the 'bots would certainly be cross about another human knowing of their existence. After profusely thanking her, I stay for a little longer, until Jack returns home and June has to physically restrain me from jumping on him and asking questions. The boy doesn't stay long enough either, only giving a quick "Hey Aunt Eva," and runs upstairs before making a beeline to the garage.

A cheeky grin overtakes my face, and June can only look extremely disapproving of my thorough, childish excitement. She escorts me out and makes sure I don't sneak a peak into the garage, but a promise is a promise, so I only bolt home at the speed of light, returning to the grim shack they call 'rental apartments' here in an exceptionally bright mood, like a painter finally receiving inspiration for what to compose, or, in my case, a scientist on the brink of discovery.


	2. There Is A First For Everything

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize if updates seem slow, but with schoolwork I can currently only finish a chapter within the span of roughly two weeks. I cannot guarantee that this is a final update schedule, it will fluctuate at the beginning. Thank you for all of your patience and support!

Did I mention yet that Jasper is hot? And on top of that, so dry that any droplet of sweat makes you feel as if you've been dunked into the closest sea a couple of times? I am afraid I haven't, so here it is: Jasper, Nevada, for all its Grand Canyon, auburn glory, is the most miserably-temperate place I have ever been in and hopefully it remains so, especially once I leave. For now, however, I must do with the faux-leather seat sticking to my moist thighs, the unbearable stuffiness of a car AC trying its best, and the same flat landscape zooming past me for the last ten minutes. I keep shifting around in the seat, convincing myself that it was because of my legs, slicked to a disgusting extent, but the driver of this car has other thoughts.

"You're nervous."

It is hard to tell if those two words are a statement of surprise, a question, or a simple observation. Could be a mix of any. Regardless, June was calling me out in a way that didn't make me feel at all comfortable.

"Am not."

I can pretty much hear June's eyebrow raise, which only makes me regret ever getting caught up in this friendship and makes each butterfly in my stomach do a bonus small dance.

"...What makes you think that?"

"Oh come on, Eva. I didn't need your amazing brain to figure that out, and you don't need to strain it to understand what I mean."

I slump back into the now claimed by me shotgun seat of June's car, since I'm too poor to afford my own. But, she's right - I am quite nervous, though some deep, primal pride won't allow me to simply admit it. I am going to see aliens, ALIENS, that can turn into vehicles at will, and only a few people actually know that they are roaming on our planet. I catch myself chewing on the inside of my bottom lip, something I only do when I am indeed anxious.

Who knows what they act like? What secrets of biology lie with them? What if they instantly take a hate to me and I won't be able to research them?

Many more questions were running through my head, but they all narrow themselves down to those three categories.

As soon as the bonanza in my head calms down a bit I notice we have long since driven out of Jasper and made it off the only road, now driving on the desert ground straight towards a huge butte.

"June, what are you doing?!"

The woman doesn't do more besides bat her eyes and sigh, as if I am a child only ruining her trip to the mall. Or in this case, a trip straight to the afterlife. "Just... trust me, I had the same reaction the first time."

Oh joy, this was her explicit intention. Despite knowing I am (almost) perfectly safe, I still shut my eyes, awaiting some sort of impact. Jarringly, none comes, and I tentatively let light seep through an opening in my eyelids to check if we indeed had died.

Contrary to popular belief, we hadn't. Instead, the Nevada desert is almost instantly replaced by dreary gray and muffled wall light, with something closing shut behind us. I assume we had driven straight through the butte into a one-lane version of a highway underpass. The track stretches and slightly loops, but doesn't last long, as the turn ends and my view widens drastically, with a ceiling rising an easy hundred, hundred-fifty feet. A tall tech central greets us to the left, along with a huge orange and white bot robot, watching June's car with an unreadable expression. Jesus Christ, even the best sci-fi novels wouldn't give you such a view.

I'm too awestruck to even wave through the window, and once the car stops I have to actively force myself out, and once I do get out I have to keep supporting myself from pure shock. No matter how many times I whip my head around, I can never get a full view, always a new detail popping out at me. A few more bots enter the scene, by comparison to first possessing an extraordinarily diverse range in height, shape and color. A with a few humans peek their heads out from behind them: June's son from the shortest alien with a feminine shape, some Japanese punk girl from behind an almost literal ball of army green, and a nerdy-looking kid from a yellow and black bot. I can only gawk at the sight.

"June, they're children!" I exclaim in a brash whisper, surprising myself by having the first words to come out after such a huge bout of sensory information to be those of concern. This will certainly be a long, long day.

"Tell me about it," she quickly murmurs back, tilting her head to carefully observe the orange bot and then the rest who have gathered around me. It doesn't take long for me to feel scared and cornered, with the robots standing awfully close and making me feel about as small as an ant. A long silence passes, spent mostly with the aliens observing me with looks ranging from mild distaste to revulsion, and me trying to stop the shaking in my hands, until June takes the initiative to cut through the tension.

"Autobots, this is Evangeline. Eva, Autobots."

I hear the orange and white bot groan, not even hiding his feelings towards my presence. Though I try to turn to give him as threatening of a stink-eye as I can, the contest doesn't last long and I turn away. Not in defeat, definitely not because I didn't feel even remotely threatening, simply because I felt like it. An uncertain silence reigns once more, shorter than before, and the feminine alien sighs.

"For Primus' sake, not another one."

My brows fly up in surprise. Albeit a little electronic, their voices held a greater resemblance to humans than what I had in mind.

For some reason, I think it a good idea to speak up. "A fair response. I apologize for the... well, there's no better word for this than "intrusion"... but before I say anything else, I beg of you not to blame June for any of this."

The Autobots hesitantly nod, and the Japanese girl runs up to me, startling me a bit more than all of the aliens combined.

"Heyya! Eva, was it? My my my, you sound so posh and polite I always wanted to meet someone ACTUALLY British! How did you find out about the bots huh? I simply was drawing Arcee while she was looking all motorcycle-y and mysterious and then I looked down for a second and POOF she was gone so I ran around the corner and found her as a tall robot lady talking to this nerd over here-"

"Hey! I am FAR from a nerd!" Jack exclaimed, and the youngest boy adjusted his glasses timidly at the exchange.

"TomAYto, tomAto! So how did YOU do it?"

Her speech is infinitely fast, riding a very detailed description and an insult on simply a breath and a half, and though I understood perfectly (and very generously provided punctuation to make it easier for you guys to understand perfectly), the shock of everything forced me to freeze and ponder for a minute. I looked back at June, wondering if she'd be okay if I told the truth, but the slow shake of her head proved otherwise.

"Well, all my life I've been looking for something new, something that I could dedicate my life's energy and work into, but everything on this earth was either already discovered or I wasn't qualified to apply. So I moved here, only temporarily, and heard weird things happening around town. I poked around a bit, and soon witnessed cars turning into robots. Thought I was going crazy for a while, but it was all very real. I got caught up with June at some point, and thought she was one of those that didn't know, so I stayed quiet. Turned out, she knew, and a bit of talking led from one thing to another, and we realized that regardless of whether she brought me here or not, I'd know and be dying of curiosity to observe. This seems a safer option than standing on the sidelines during a heated task, no?"

Everyone was quiet. Pin-drop silence grabbed hold of the silo, made even worse as the bots began exchanging glances with each other, and then observing me. I stole one quick glance at June, trying to gauge how well I'd done, but her face was blank and pale. My knees began to shake and my pulse started racing, making it difficult to breathe. To say I was terrified would be an understatement.

Yes, I had fibbed most of my story, only being honest about my connection with June and the weird feeling about the city, but how much could a white lie do? I need this opportunity.

I don't want to speak up, show weakness or need for validation, and feel myself standing just a little stronger than before. At some point, the black and yellow bot speaks up -- well, I assume it speaks, because the series of beeps must mean something for its comrades to nod -- and approaches me, loud clangs and a shaking ground accompanying every step. I'm not going to lie, I flinch the first two times, and back myself flat against June's car the closer it came, my chest rising and falling as its innocent, neon-cyan eyes keep clicking and focusing, its face coming too close for comfort. It beeps and drawls a few more times, and an unfamiliar male voice, presumably the boy's, pops up from behind the bot.

"He's saying he likes the color scheme of your clothes!"

I look down and suddenly remember the fact that I put on a yellow tank and shorts with a light black cardigan on top, thanks to recent cold weather. The bot's comment is absolutely adorable, almost childlike, and I can't help but smile and ease up a little more. The bot, seemingly satisfied with my reaction, nods one last time and then backs away. The rest of the bots evidently don't share the yellow's sentiments, and their grave and pensive expressions suffocate my smile.

"Well, it's not like we can kick her back out..." the huge, olive bot suddenly suggests with a gruff voice.

"We could, but there is also the matter of utter distrust. Primus knows how many more humans might "accidentally stumble upon" us," the orange and white bot answers with such disgust that I feel hurt on behalf of all of humanity: something, I later realize, I have never done before. Right now, however, I am way more concerned with the fact that my one golden chance on this god-forsaken world is slipping right between my fingers, and this cocky bastard was currently the riding reason for it.

"The Decepticons likely know of her, and if not then they soon will," the blue bot speaks up with one arm now crossed and the other gesturing in the air, her tone even and calculated, holding absolutely no personal compassion for me; and at that moment, I can't help but fiercely respect such an attitude. It's not the nicest, and hurts my ego just a tad, but goddamn if it's not awe-inspiring. "The question is, how much do we care?"

"Arcee!"

"What Jack? Do you REALLY expect us to trust her just like that? She's not a child like you three, she can manage. Besides, if we start taking in every human that spots us...-"

"Brr, don't even wanna THINK about that," the orange bot mumbles under his breath, though to my chagrin I hear him perfectly. His voice is already starting to get on my nerves, and we haven't even spoken to each other yet.

The green bot intervenes again. "Well, she can be useful. Mrs Darby, didn't you say she has a... a fee... fee age...?"

"A PhD. Biochemistry."

"That! I don't understand exactly what it means, but it sound real impressive. Ratchet, you're the smart one around here, do you know?"

There is a small pause before the white and orange bot suddenly replies, allowing me to assume that he is the "Ratchet" he was referring to.

"According to my research, it stands for-"

"Doctor of Philosophy," I unexpectedly cut in, causing Ratchet to turn around and look at me with a gaze of pure rancor and a bit of surprise and pride to flow through my veins. That was rude, I admit, but the confidence of prompting that asshole into silence makes me feel even more powerful. "Highest academic degree that can be bestowed to a mortal plebeian such as I. I studied Biological Chemistry, meaning I know how most earthly beings work right down to the molecules. It's not much, but it could be of help if you guys are planning on staying for a while and need to adapt and incorporate foreign elements."

Everyone silently stared.

"A quick formulated answer from a person is better than a long Google wormhole, is it not?"

The bots exchange glances, most of them ranging between a simple shrug, expressive whirs and scrunched up with disbelief faces. And not the pleasant kind. I throw one of my own at June, who has made it around her side of the car and leaned in the spot beside me, giving me a shrug herself, though the softness of her facial features prompted the assumption that she was satisfied with the way I handled myself.

"Stay or not stay, we can't give a verdict until Optimus returns," Arcee says, comfortably leaning onto one leg and crossing her arms. "Do you know how long he said he would go out for, Ratchet?"

"It's a simple geological analysis, he'll should be back in an hour or two."

"Can't you just comm him?" the girl asks, and receives a jarring, irritated half-yell in return.

"He's BUSY, and will comm himself if something goes awry or he completes the mission! Now go sit back down Miko, and entertain all the other fleshies, like you always do."

Ratchet throws me a furious glance, and a bitter pain wedges itself into my chest. When the girl, Miko, recovers a bit from the initial shock, she comes over to me, constantly gauging my reaction at the bot's outburst. I try to give her half a smile, though the sheer power of the alien's voice has shaken me quite a bit too.

"I don't bite, I promise. Come here, Miko, was it? Who's the fuzzball on your shirt? Seems a tad familiar."

At my mundane attempt at distracting the girl, she brightens up a little bit, and begins to (albeit a little quieter than before) ramble on about the cute, alien, and definitely Japanese critter and the obscure show he's from. I am only half-listening, admittedly, and am definitely struggling to catch up, but at least someone here doesn't hold some form of grudge or hesitance against me, apart from June, obviously. The conversation soon envelops the other kids, as well as a very dinasourish mother trying to make sense of unfamiliar terms and the bots, some eavesdropping less subtly then others. I occasionally take a peek over at Ratchet, who still causes my blood to begin boiling, and though I can swear he was glancing at us just now, his white and orange form remains the same: slightly hunched over, hard at work, and barely moving.


End file.
